> From: "Richard, Jeff" <jeff.richard_at_...>
>Those days, however, are now gone. Euglyptus the Fat declared some foreign
>legal-goobly-gook regarding the roads that everyone ignored. Raiders
>routinely plundered strangers on the roads and clan chiefs would often
>demand outrageous bribes from passing merchants. Lunar soldiers would
>sometimes try to put down bandits, but more often they also imposed
>arbitrary tolls - a form of institutional banditry. Prince Temertain now
>pretends to be the protector of those using the royal roads, but this seems
>to be little more than a license for Lunar soldiers to impose terrible
>tribute on clans who do not accept the Lunar Way under the guise of
>"fighting bandits". Enterprising tribal kings have imposed their own tolls,
>as have city rings like that of Wilmschurch.
>
>Jeff
In my game the player clan has control of a key ford on a stetch of the
road South from Wilmskirk. As a war clan they collect tribute from
travellers on the road. Technically, it is isn't a toll as the travellers
get protection along that stretch and a meal.
As you say, in ancient times it would have bee different.
Thom